


Buck Up

by datalaur



Series: Deus ex Machina [8]
Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: AU after Generations, Father-Son Relationship, M/M, Medical Examination, Medicinal Drug Use, Mental Health Issues, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Non-Consensual Touching, Phone Calls & Telephones, Sexual Assault, Shock, Stream of Consciousness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-12
Updated: 2020-01-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:21:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22192465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/datalaur/pseuds/datalaur
Summary: Set in late 2372.  Lore has escaped from the cybernetics lab, leaving a shell-shocked Bruce Maddox behind.Warning: post physical/sexual assault freak-out
Relationships: Data/Bruce Maddox, Lore/Bruce Maddox
Series: Deus ex Machina [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1595050
Kudos: 4





	Buck Up

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Paramount owns Star Trek. That which is not Paramount's is mine.

The bulkhead is hard behind my back and Lore's tongue is in my mouth. I push again at his chest but he's too strong and I'm breathless from lack of air and the terrible intimacy of his thigh between my legs and oh god his hand on me how can I be reacting like this

Suddenly the overheads dim to emergency and the computer says something. Lore stops, and looks intently over his shoulder. My hands clutch weakly at his shirt. Lore's eyes slide back. He drags a fingernail along me and I shudder helplessly. That sly wicked smile spreads across his face and he winks. 

Before it registers that he's released me, he's gone. I lean my aching head back against the bulkhead. Then my weaker leg wobbles out and I slide down onto the floor.

*****

"Dr. Maddox?"

A beam of light stabs in my eyes and reflexively I raise a hand to block it.

"Holy shit, sir!" A woman in security gold squats next to me. "Are you injured?" 

am I injured?

She snaps her fingers in my face. "Sir?"

The woman turns her head towards someone I can't see. "Get Katsoros over here." She taps her combadge. "Ikeda to Ops. We got a man down. Cybernetics lab three. It's Dr. Maddox. Gonna need a medic."

"Lore," I manage. "Lore." Finally the right words surface. "Initiate security lockdown."

"Waaay past that, sir," Ikeda says, getting to her feet. She beckons to someone. "Kat. Check him."

A security officer kneels down. "It's okay, sir, we've got you. You're safe now." A tricorder warbles. She tips my head to the side. "Hey, Ikeda? Somebody _bit_ him."

*****

They take my clothes off even though I ask them to stop. I ask the advocate to make them stop but she says the clothes are evidence they have to. They scan me and even though I am very careful to ask politely so the nurse doesn't use the hypospray, the doctor doesn't stop he puts his hand on the sheet he says he needs to check my body and he tugs it out of my fists he says I'm very sorry but please understand this is protocol don't be scared no one is going to hurt you we just have to make sure you're okay

I tell him I am okay please don't Lore didn't do anything to me I'm fine please please stop

he doesn't stop touching me looking at me looking at the bruises like he's counting them and I wonder if there are enough or do they think I wanted it I didn't I didn't even if Lore said I did but I was too scared

even so I should have done something I don't know what but something

all of these people hovering around me looking and looking I don't want them to look I tell them stop, you don't need to, but no they don't listen they keep making notes taking samples taking holo-images and I ask them and ask them to stop and finally the doctor gestures to the nurse with the hypo and she does it 

*****

I wake up and the advocate lady smiles hi I'm Anna remember me it's all over I'm so sorry I promise they won't do that again. 

Okay I say okay but I look down at myself and I have clothes on and I realize someone was touching me when I was out someone put clothes and socks on me someone put underwear on me was it her?

she sees me watching her and she smiles all teeth and says I should eat now it will make me feel better

but when I smell the food I get sick so she recycles it and says never mind

she says stuff like it's not my fault it's never a victim's fault and it was okay to do whatever I had to do to survive and I remember that's true and I do feel better but then I think maybe it was Anna that put these clothes on me Anna that was touching my underwear and if it wasn't her who was it 

who was it

*******

Later they take me to another room where Dad's face is on the wall and the doctor talks to Dad like I'm not there telling Dad that apparently I haven't been taking my meds for my dysthymia 

that makes me really mad I am high functioning I don't need all that stuff for anxiety and depression, I keep my shit together how else could I run multiple labs with half a dozen scientists how else could I do the subsentient AI research critical to the fleet critical to fighting the Borg so screw you doc I'm high functioning 

but I don't say any of that because I know there's a hypo ready in his lab coat pocket 

Dad keeps glancing at me while the doctor keeps tearing me down like he thinks I can't do my job without his precious drugs oh so now I'm likely to need extensive treatment and counseling? well fuck that I have important work waiting for me people depend on me the fleet is counting on me

Dad sees how angry I am and sends the doctor away and for the first time I think maybe everything will be all right Dad will help me he knows what I do is really important 

Well buddy Dad says his face weird that was a lot to take in 

I tell him I'm fine perfectly fine, really nothing happened so can you just get me out of here please now please I would like to go home now I have work in the morning after all

but Dad says he saw the security footage and I forget how to breathe I didn't think about there being security footage and Dad saw that? 

I can explain-- Look it was-- just listen it's not a big deal the guy kissed me so what

really the whole thing is just embarrassing can we just not talk about this

Yes I am dealing with it Dad I mean I didn't get it at first but I've thought a lot about it the whole kiss thing was just to mess with Data if you knew Lore like I do you'd know he is petty like that he likes nothing better than to get under Data's skin and I'm one of the ways he does it

okay yes I was scared well more startled but I shouldn't have been Dad honestly it was ridiculous to be afraid because it was just one of Lore's mean jokes and anyway I tweaked Lore's programming myself and look he didn't kill me, a couple of bruises and cuts are nothing absolutely nothing, he could have done anything but he didn't, and the bottom line is my software modifications worked

see Dad I am actually good at my job I know a lot of people don't realize how complicated it is, no I know you know that but Data thinks--

oh god Data

he's going to be so angry with me he said reactivating Lore was a disaster waiting to happen and and I said I could handle Lore but now this now what am I going to do I fucked up Dad I fucked up so bad I don't know what to do to fix us everything's gone so wrong 

Dad says buddy don't worry about Data he loves you it'll work out but please just rest son please don't worry about Data or anything at the lab or the investigation 

And I'm so stupid of course there's going to be an investigation and everyone will know everyone will see Data will see

I don't realize I'm crying until Dad's face gets disappointed again so I wipe my eyes and promise him I will buck up sir I will get hold of myself I know my duty 

Good Dad says that's good son just don't sign anything don't answer any questions no it's okay buddy breathe they won't ask anything until you're well I won't let them mom and I will take a shuttle from earth and you can reach us on the shuttle any time for any reason

he says it's all right that I'm in shock anyone would be in shock it's perfectly normal completely understandable that I'm emotional and confused after what's happened but I should try to eat dinner try to get some sleep take my medication and please try to understand the doctors just want to help okay buddy?

And I say okay Dad okay thanks so much see you soon love you too

*******

After breakfast and meds they let me take a shower and I'm starting to feel like myself again

I don't even know why I was so upset earlier anyway, it's not like Lore raped me or even hurt me

Everything will be okay

I just need to buck up

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Timeline (canon [fic]):  
> • 2370: _Descent II._ Lore is deactivated [and sent to the Daystrom annex for research]  
> • 2371: _Generations_. Data's newly installed emotion chip fuses into his neural net. [Data and Bruce begin a relationship after a disastrous shuttle accident on the way to the Daystrom annex]  
> • 2372: Data and Geordi transfer aboard the new Enterprise . War with the Borg and the Dominion looms.  
> 


End file.
